Tyler King makes a name for himself

Tyler King shows off his medals.

“If It was easy, everyone would do it.” That is how Tyler King feels about his chosen career path in high-level competitive sports. A Choctaw tribal member from Northern Massachusetts, King, has spent years making a name for himself in football, MMA and Jiu-Jitsu.

King, 41, commutes to Boston daily and is accustomed to the area, having grown up there, but he is no stranger to his family’s Oklahoma roots. He was born in Massachusetts when his dad, Steve King, played NFL football there. Steve graduated from Quinton high school, in Quinton, Oklahoma, in 1969, and went on to play for the University of Tulsa and then was a linebacker for nine seasons for the New England Patriots from 1973-82 out of the University of Tulsa.

Originally from Massachusetts, Tyler’s mother, Cathleen, met Steve after mutual friends fixed them up on a blind date. Steve and Kathleen now live in Oklahoma.

Tyler initially followed in his dad’s footsteps when he began a career in the NFL at age 23 as a defensive end and linebacker. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, his football career years included playing with the Yukon Huskies and the Arizona Cardinals. He went on to the Saint Louis Rams, was signed by the San Diego Chargers and the Jaguars. He played in Cologne, Germany, with NFL Europe and Arena Football in the U.S.

After his years in the NFL, King took a job in the financial world and trained in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He has been called a natural in the full-contact combat sport mixed martial arts competitive world. He got into Jiu-Jitsu as part of the MMA training. King is currently classified as a black belt and is about to receive his first degree.

Tyler travels for professional exhibitions and competitions, and goes to martial arts schools to conduct seminars, teaching principles and moves. He also trains others for matches and has plans to move on to coaching in MMA and Jiu-Jitsu.

King’s statistics and competitive activities are all over the internet, and you can even view MMA matches he has been in. When asked if he would do it all over again, he said, “one hundred percent, with or without the lessons I’ve picked up along the way.”

You can keep up with Tyler King on social media at @tylerking52 on Instagram, Tyler King on Facebook, and @tking52 on Twitter.